CTAP is available to producers in certain counties that are not eligible to participate in the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) made available as an insurance option for cotton farmers as a result of cotton being removed as a covered commodity in the Agriculture Act of 2014. STAX is administered by the Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Most cotton-producing counties and cotton producers have STAX available and are not eligible for CTAP.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Administrator Val Dolcini made the announcement of CTAP-approved counties earlier this week. Enrollment deadline is September 30, 2015.

“The Cotton Transition Assistance Program is for farms with former cotton base acres that are physically located in a county where the Stacked Income Protection Plan is unavailable,” said Dolcini. “To help us provide the best service possible, cotton producers are encouraged to schedule an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency office early in the application period.”